The rising princess of the Nethers
by Werewolvesnrubies
Summary: So here is my fanfic of the new 52 version of Duela Dent/Joker's Daughter. I think she is a pretty interesting character with lots of potential to grow and evolve in the DC Universe, but I think I am the only one who feels this way since most comments I see online about her are how much she sucks and should get killed off in the most horrible way possible. Enjoy! :)


I wasn't always beautiful you see, I used to be like most. One of the "lucky" ones. Privileged and pretty. Lived in the glorious suburbs with my perfect family, The Dents. Had it all as they say. But I had nothing. It's never truly yours if someone, anyone, can take it away. He give and He take as they say. It's always what they say. The laws of the status quo. Them. Never me. What I say or feel or think never truly matters to them. It's only what they want. And they can be anybody. Or everybody. But I say fuck everybody. Seriously. Fuck them. Or some of them. Or maybe none of them. Most likely none of them. Unless I want to fuck the life out of them. So then maybe some of them. Or all of them. But only if they truly deserve it. In more ways then one...

"Meoooow!" Was the noise that echoed threw the tunnels all the way into my thoughts making me forget where I was going with that current thought. "Ugh damn it cat! I love you seriously my friend, but you seriously talk to much." She stared up at me as she walked closer to me and then sat at my feet. "Meow!" she said more quietly as she rubbed against my leg. It was a bit unsettling to feel her ribs so predominantly through my tights as she brushed by. But I guess she seriously can't help it though. I mean she was on the verge of death. Or not quite. Just a little bit. I found her the same night I found my beautiful face. Well more like her body. And His face. Which is now mine, but forever His. He is mine...as I am his. Always...

"HEY CAT!" Was all I screamed after she fucking bites my leg! I would of done something I would most certainly regret later if the air wasn't knocked out of me from the fall. She hops up on me and purrs in my face. I pet her despite her unpleasant smell. Her damp fur felt soft and matted. She literally smelled and felt like a damp moldy towel, soft yet rough to the touch. She was gross but I adored her. In all honesty, she truly couldn't help it, I mean it's no fault of her own. She didn't choose to be this way. It was apparent to me when I found her that her fate was at the hands of another. Human.

I laid there for a moment as she knead her claws into my chest and started to purr louder. "OK cat...you win this round. But the next one you won't be so lucky." I smiled under my new face and closed my eyes. I let the cold damp ground below me help me relax my muscles and the sound of water drops dripping in the distance lull me to sleep. It has felt like it's been ages since I've slept, but I would wager it's only been days. Weeks? I don't think it's been quite a month. Or? No. Just a few days. The last time was the night I found him and had the greatest dream ever...hehe if you could see me blush under this face. Him. Daddy. Oh why does it have to be just this face I wear? Where could he be? I know he's out there obviously playing the greatest game of hide and seek ever. I know he is alive. He sent me the letter. It was very simple, just two words. "Hello Beautiful." He is out there watching me. Watching us all. But mostly me. And he is proud of me. I know this to forever be true. It is the fuel to the fire that burns inside of me. Sky above me, Earth below me, Fire within me as they say. And that is all I need. And Him. Always Him...

My mind begins to drift off to the sound of the water drops dripping softly to the beat of my heart. The song it sings for Him. The chemicals in his blood began to flood my brain more and more with every beat of my heart. I must admit I may of been over zealous when I told Dollmaker to give me his blood...I should of known my insanity, or is it love, had reached new heights when I made the bold request. But I don't care. I am very much beyond the point of caring what they think of me. Only what He thinks of me matters. And I know that He is proud of what I have accomplished on His behalf so far. Gotham will run red again. And everyone will be happy about it. That's all we want for this city...to be happy in their pain and sorrow. I could obviously see His message back when I still lived with the Dents. Ugh...them. They were the worst. They never understood what beauty was. What beauty is. Ugly is beautiful, perfection is a curse. They don't understand it like Daddy J. No one truly does. Not. Even. Quinzel. And she was a psychiatrist...but she didn't understand Him really. Truly. Not like I do. She couldn't go the distance he desired...but I can. I will. I HAVE. Ugh and now my thoughts and positive vibes are gone. Thinking of her with Him...

"Move cat...I want to get up now." I opened my eyes to see her dead asleep. Hehe...dead. Get it Duela? This cat is dead! What nothing little girl? Haha oh yea forgot...you died the night we found Daddy's face. Well not quite dead...just comatose. Brain dead. Haha another funny...because that's where you are Duela. Dead. In this brain. This mind that His chemicals control is your prison princess...and this body is mine. Ours. You are just along for the ride until I can think of something fun to do with you...until then...rest in peace Duela Dent. Nobody misses you anyway...nobody knew who you were. You were an ugly weak fragile thing. Only good to look at and be seen. Never heard. Always silent. Always a prisoner in your body and mind. Always hiding and crying. Never acting. Not like now...when He made us strong. Me more so then you. I am you improved and perfected. In an image of power so great it almost hurts to touch...but you like the hurt don't you? It's what made you strong while you went through your metamorphosis. While you rebelled against them all. The Dents. Your friends. Those boys who saw you as nothing more then a "pretty" face. An object. A thing to be conquered and defiled. But you showed them all didn't you? Didn't we? The Dents were soooo surprised when you gave yourself your beautiful Glasgow smile. Well at least a half smile...you were too weak to go all the way back then...maybe Daddy will fix it for you? Since He will want His face back. His beautiful face...and then we will really reveal the beast within this twisted beauty. Your boxcutter beauty treatments will show the demented artist you are. Daddy's pretty little butterfly. Sleep finally took me over and my thoughts quieted down eventually. But my mind continued to go off with dreams of madness and mayhem...and Him. Always Him...

 _"Dance with me Princess, tell me about all the mayhem you caused in Gotham today."_

In the darkness, I could feel his hands guiding mine in place for the dance. One hand on his shoulder, the other ever so delicately in his. I know this dance. I've done it many times before in all the classes the Dents made me take for years. Quickstep. My favorite dances of all my dance classes. The only time I complied with their stupid superficial requests in those days.

"We don't have any music."

 _"We don't need any other music other then the screams in the streets of Gotham echoing in our heads."_

"The symphony of screams echoing in the streets of Gotham?"

 _"Of course Beautiful..."_

I could hear the smile in his voice. We began to dance so slowly. The hauntingly beautiful in my mind guided us. Our steps were in sync as we slowly picked up speed, I couldn't see anything around us. I was afraid for a second that we might fall, but I trusted Daddy. He wouldn't lead me wrong. His hands felt cold but calm. Could he feel mine shaking? What was he thinking? I couldn't see him, but I didn't care, He was close. I could feel him, hear him, smell him. He was real. The screams got louder in my head. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear him, I could just feel his warm breath on me face as he spoke ever so softly.

"What are you saying Daddy? I can't hear you? Why can't I hear you!?"

The screams. Scream. Not in my head, somewhere else?

"GET OFF OF ME! HELP ME!"

My eyes popped open. I jumped up fighting ready.

"MEROOWWW! HISSSS!"

Holy shit I was dreaming. How unfair. *sigh* I could swear he was really here...The scream echoed in the tunnel way behind me.

"Sorry cat. Got to go. Stay here okay?" She just stared at me. Whatever. I turned on my heels and flew down towards the ever fading screams. It was obviously a woman. One of mine. Please hold on! I could see two shadows in the distance. One tall menacing shadow looming over another crumpled smaller one. The tall shadow's arm flew up then down in one quick motion, like a hunter doing the final blow on a defenseless baby seal. I heard the object make contact with it's intended target with a sharp crack slicing through the stillness of the tunnels. Metal to bone. I picked up speed as I drew closer to them, ducked down like football players do when getting ready for the impact of a tackle they are preparing to execute. I was going to annihilate him. Hehe. This was going to be exciting!

SMASH!

Contact.

Down he goes. The bigger they are the harder they fall as they say.

"BITCH!" He screamed as he swung his arm up to point a fucking flashlight in my face! My arm went up to defend my beautiful face. His face. Our face. It was so bright, like the sun. Damn you beautiful blinding star in the sky. I stumbled back, almost fell but I'm graceful.

"Oh shit! It's fucking you!"

I lowered my arms just in time to see him try to jump up and take a swing at me with the flashlight. A huge fucking flashlight. I could see something that looked like "Arkham Security" in big bold letters on the side of the handle as he made his pathetic up arm swing to smash me in the face.

Miss.

I felt the whoosh of air as it past a few inches from my face. Thank the cosmos for men's bad judgment of distance. I also felt something wet fall against my upper lip. I licked it. Metallic tasting. Blood. Fresh. As delicious as it was, I do not particularly prefer the taste of my own tribe. I could see a deep gouges on the left side of his face, from his forehead, across his eye, ending at the base of his cheekbone. Good job girly, you went down fighting.

"Yes you foul dick. It's me. I see your bleeding a little bit, smells good, I'll be tasting your blood tonight..."A smirk danced across my face as I kicked him in his fat mouth. Just since he so happened the be down there. "Why are you here? You are not welcome."

"You don't rule Arkham bitch!" He managed to spit out as he slowly got up. He spit some blood my way and looked at me in a half daze.

"Correct you vile excuse for a man. Arkham is Daddy's kingdom. But down here in the nether is my domain. This is a sanctuary for my girls. They are safe here from scum like you..." I looked over at the girl's body crumpled up in the corner. It was too dark for me to see her, but it was obvious she was no longer with us to exact her revenge. Lucky for him I am more then willing to carry it out on her behalf. I will be more gentle, but firm in my punishment. "Or at least they should be. No matter...it is apparent to me that you heathens didn't get the message when I banned all of you from here. So this time around, I will make it more clear." He just stared at me and continued to shine the light in my eyes.

"Who the fuck do you think you are!? You are just a fucking child! Nobody! A bloody gash that needs to be controlled and broken in. Heh...I would be more then happy to help you with your problem. Just like I helped her." He shined to light to the broken body a few feet behind him. All I could make out was a mess of bloody blonde hair and what was left of her face...he shined the light back at my face before I could soak in the sight of her gory demise. " Joker's Daughter you are fucking calling yourself? White trash like you? Bullshit! He would be insulted by your games! Wearing his face like a groupie slut. Pathetic!" He kept shouting his lies, getting more and more slurred and belligerent with his words. I could smell the booze dripping off of his poisonous lies, but I stopped listening long ago...too busy listening to Daddy.

 _"Kill him Princess...he deserves it."_

"Yes Daddy..."

My arms shot out at his throat cutting off his words before another lie could escape. As I gripped his weak neck harder in my grasp my eyes locked with his, he knew this was it. His pupils dilated soaking in His face...the last thing he would ever see before it was bye bye time. I am going to take my time with this one, he is going to fucking feel this. My first kill was quick and I was on a time crunch to find Daddy. A slice to the gut with my burning moon staff and it was bye bye to Roger. I could begin to feel his body give way as he dropped the flashlight. Out goes the light. Don't go just yet you prick, I'm not finished here. I let go of his throat and threw him up against the wall. Despite the darkness, all I saw was red. My fingers and palms felt like they were on fire. I could smell his flesh burning from where I was holding him. It was sickening sweet. Like burnt kettle popcorn. I quickly palmed his face and slammed his head against the wall until I heard his skull crack in the darkness. I felt me kick the flashlight as I took a step back so his body could fall. I picked it up, turned it on, and flashed it in his face. I could see just a glimmer of life behind the glazed look in his eyes.

"You know what? I'm tired of your lies...you end here. But before you go, one last question for you... did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" He hoarsely tried to give me a response, but if was lost before it could escape his lips. "Hahaha...weak man. You have lost the game. Guess it's time to put this sick dog out of his misery...consider this a kindness if you will." I swiftly lifted my foot up and slammed it down into his face as hard as I fucking could. My leg felt like it slammed down with the force of an elephant, I could feel his face cave in slightly under my boot. I smeared whatever gore I collected on my boot upon his dirty shirt. Good enough I guess.

 _"I'm proud of you Princess..."_

I smiled to myself as I walked past his body to gently pick up hers. "I'm sorry I was too late beautiful..."

"Meow." I looked down to see my furry familiar.

"Come on Hecate darling...let's go home."

After what felt like hours, but was most certainly minutes, we got to our destination. Home. Our majestic kingdom. By the time I made it back to the Nethers, I was already beyond fucking pissed off. How dare he. I mean really. HOW DARE HE! He comes down into my dark realm, rape and murder one of my girls, then tries to fuck with me. I need to get this under control before more come down and think they can pull more of these stunts. Time to turn my flock of timid and stupid sheep into my pack of vicious and glorious wolves. I recall reading somewhere before about packs being lead by females, males only kept around for breeding. I laugh to myself at the thought of us girls creeping up into bedrooms to have our fun then come back home before they realize what happens, like giggling succubi slinking in the shadows. Silly boys, we can play the game better don't cha know.

"OH MY GOD! Is that Mary!?"

Her shrill voice snapped back into reality like a rubber band snapping on my wrist. I saw at least five girls running over my way. Their frantic and confused screams began to crescendo like a tragic song filling the high cave walls of the Nethers. I wanted to cry as their tear soaked faces came more into focus, but the feeling didn't quite rise high enough to spill over. Almost. But not quite. I am getting colder I guess. Daddy's venom is slowing seeping into me more. Making me stronger. Making me free of my chains. Making me lighter...and happier.

"What happened? Who did this? Why?" A million questions flew at me like bullets. I repel them and brush past the crowd that was slowly growing around me. I stepped up on an over turned fridge that just so happened to be near by. I mean there is garbage and other random odds and ends all over down here. This is the chaotic aftermath of the flood way back when they made Gotham Reservoir. I slowly turned around to face the crowd of faces as I held the girl in my arms firmly. I finally got to really look down at her and assess the damn done. Her matted dirty hair fall from her face, or what was left of it. Her once flawless face with now a sunken in hole filled with broken tiny bones, blood, and brain matter. She looked like a human bowl of carnage. Glancing up at the growing crowd I stood up as straight as I could to assert my control of the gaggle of girls and waited for them to pick up my cue and quiet down for me to speak. I smiled under his face. The face of Power. Of Insanity. Of unquestioned Dominance. I have them now. THEY ARE MINE.

"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO DID THIS!?" I paused to hear my voice rise above my new pack. My legion. MY Netherlings. Their voices rose in a symphony of submission to my question.

"I WILL TELL YOU!" I knelled down slowly to the outstretched arms as they gently grabbed Mary's fragile and broken body. "They did this. Them. The men who used to rule down here!" Their shouts and screams flood into my ears and they felt like they were about to bleed. They broke out into a chaotic panic. The crowd was dispersing. I was loosing them. FUCKING MINDLESS SHEEP. I can't work with this group.

 _"Yes you can Princess..."_

"They're too weak Daddy..."

 _"We can make them strong...you can make them strong."_

"I can't."

 _"You can...trust me Princess. Daddy would never lie to you."_

I closed my eyes to gather my thoughts. If i can just shut them out for a second, I can focus. I can get them back. Strong Duela...His blood runs through your veins now. We are one. His words will be my words. His power will be my power. His strength will be my strength. We can do this. I opened my eyes, they weren't still running around like hot messes. Just laying around and crying like hot messes. At least they were quiet...this is my chance. My only chance to hook them and keep them. I stood tall again, took a deep breath and let it out. "Daddy...what do I do? Where do I go from here? What is our plan?" I whispered to myself under his face.

 _"Rule Princess. Build your army and control your realm below my castle. Make me proud like I know you can. I believe in you Duela..."_

"Yes Daddy." I say with a smile. Time to whip these minions of mine into shape.


End file.
